HOW TO KNOW THE BIRDS 



By the REV. MAURICE C. H. BIRD. M.A., M.B.O.U. 



THE GALLINACEOUS BIRDS 



WE have now arn\-ed at the fourth 

 great order in Linmtus's classifica- 

 tion, which contains the galhn- 

 aceous or fowl-hke birds. The Pigeons 

 head the hst. and we have four British 

 representatives of this famih' — Wood 



its congeners, and its mournful note — 

 " tur-tur," from which both its Enghsh 

 and Latin specific names are derived— is 

 somewhat suggestive of the twihght music 

 of the toads. In flight this Dove may be 

 recognised by its fan-shaped tail, wliich, 









WOOD PIGEON'S NEST. 



1 



Pigeon, Stock Dove, Rock Dove and 

 Turtle Dove. The three former are re- 

 sidents, but the Wood Pigeon especially 

 has its numbers greatly recruited in 

 winter by migrants from more northern 

 and eastern chmes. The crooning Turtle 

 Dove occurs only as a summer migrant. 

 It is rather late in arriving, for it seldom 

 appears l)efore the first week in May. 

 Its small size at once distinguishes it from 



46 



at close quarters, shows white at the tips 

 of the semi-expanded feathers. As it is 

 especially fond of the seed of the red and 

 white cam})ions and corn-cockle, it may 

 be counted as a farmer's frientl. 



The Wood Pigeon is generally known 

 as the Ring Dove, in consequence of the 

 conspicuous white patches on either side 

 of its nock, which apjiarenlly form a ccm- 

 ])lete circle whilst the birtl is on the wing; 



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